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Kauai Hanalei, United States

Stay in Hanalei: see the trip Its beds, the way there and every spot near it.

Also within 20 km of Hanalei

All 11 on Hanalei's map

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About Kauai Hanalei

Known for kitesurfing and windsurfing, by the OpenStreetMap map of the area. The shore faces N, so wind from the S blows out to sea (our estimate from the coastline). Facts: verified.

Water about 27°C: no wetsuit. Typical sea temperature for the time of year, not a forecast.

A spot for kitesurfing and windsurfing, as OpenStreetMap maps it, on a shore facing N. Wind from the N blows onshore, wind from the S blows out to sea, and wind from the E or W runs along the shore. It is exposed to the open sea. The sea floor shelves gently: 10 m deep about 650 m out (1 in 65). The sea is about 24°C in February, its coldest month (no wetsuit), and 27°C in August, its warmest (no wetsuit). For kitesurfing at expert level the best months are usually January, February, March and April, with about 2 good days in 7; in August, September and October, about 1. From the weather of past years. The town to stay in is Hanalei. Within 5 km we also list 3 surf spots.

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From Chicago: about 15 h 05 door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.

  1. Fly. Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL), direct.

    See flights ORD → HNL · Skyscanner from about £420 returnAd

  2. Getting there. 3 h 35 from the airport to Kauai Hanalei.

    Car hire · Discover CarsAd

  3. Accommodation.

    Stay in HanaleiAd

    Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote.

    Room photos are examples, not these hotels (credits).

    See all places to stay on Booking.com →

    Closest towns to stay in

    Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote. Drives are estimates.

  4. Hire and lessons.

    Kitesurfing lessons in Hanalei · GetYourGuideAdKite and board hire in Hanalei · GetYourGuideAd

Everything else for the trip

Where it is

Kauai Hanalei on Google Maps · Directions

The map needs JavaScript. Every place on it is listed on this page, and each place's page links to Google Maps.

One finger scrolls the page; two fingers move the map. Pins are our own positions. Map OpenFreeMap, © OpenMapTiles, data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Forecast

Best on Mon 19: 10 kn gusting 28, cross-offshore. Water: waves 2.3 m.

The score for kite, coloured as on the area pages:GoodFairPoor

DayScoreWindGustsShoreWater
Sun 18Oct1427kncross-off2.2 mwaves
Mon 19Oct1428kncross-off2.3 mwaves
Tue 20Oct019kncross-off2.2 mwaves
Wed 21Oct014knoffnot safe1.8 mwaves
Thu 22Oct010knoffnot safe1.4 mwaves
Fri 23Oct09knoffnot safe1.2 mwaves
Sat 24Oct09knoffnot safe1.1 mwaves
Sun 25Oct013knoffnot safe1.4 mwaves
Mon 26Oct015knoffnot safe1.4 mwaves
Tue 27Oct015knoffnot safe1.6 mwaves

Day scores are the conditions out of 80. Wind is the day's best reading: the mean and the gusts in knots (10 kn is about 19 km/h); the arrow points where it blows to. Shore: "side" is side-shore, blowing along the beach, the safe way; "side-on" and "on" blow in towards it; "cross-off" and "off" blow out to sea, and offshore scores nothing for kite and windsurf. Water is the open sea's waves near the spot: flat under 0.3 m, chop to 0.8 m.

The season

Good kite days in a typical week, each month, from 2016 on (ERA5 history scored the same way).

  1. Jan2of 7
  2. Feb2of 7
  3. Mar2of 7
  4. Apr2of 7
  5. May2of 7
  6. Jun2of 7
  7. Jul2of 7
  8. Aug1of 7
  9. Sep1of 7
  10. Oct1of 7
  11. Nov2of 7
  12. Dec2of 7

Typical, not a forecast. Reanalysis wind misses some local thermal winds, so a spot known for an afternoon breeze may do better than this.

Your trip, day by day

6 nights from Mon 19 Oct, leaving from Chicago, for kite. Change dates

  1. Mon 19 Oct
    Travel out

    Direct flight ORD to HNL, then 3h 35 by road. About 15h 05 door to door

  2. Tue 20 Oct
    Rest day

    Not enough of the right wind: 8 kn gusting 19, cross-offshore. Water: waves 2.2 m.

  3. Wed 21 Oct
    Rest day

    Not enough of the right wind: 5 kn gusting 14, offshore. Offshore: not safe to ride. Water: waves 1.8 m.

  4. Thu 22 Oct
    Rest day

    Not enough of the right wind: 4 kn gusting 10, offshore. Offshore: not safe to ride. Water: waves 1.4 m.

  5. Fri 23 Oct
    Rest day

    Not enough of the right wind: 4 kn gusting 9, offshore. Offshore: not safe to ride. Water: waves 1.2 m.

  6. Sat 24 Oct
    Rest day

    Not enough of the right wind: 3 kn gusting 9, offshore. Offshore: not safe to ride. Water: waves 1.1 m.

  7. Sun 25 Oct
    Travel home

    Direct flight ORD to HNL, then 3h 35 by road. About 15h 05 door to door

Rough cost

About £1,100–£2,060 each for 6 nights, 2 people sharing. A guide from typical prices, not a quote. Kit hire is not in it yet: we have no sourced price for it.

  • Flights £420–£870
  • To the UK airport £35–£65
  • Hire car £115–£190
  • Stay £270–£455
  • Food £260–£480

Places to eat near Hanalei

Within 2 km of the town centre, listed by how complete the listing is (website, opening hours, cuisine) and whether two sources name it. Not a judgement of the food: we have no reviews. Listings © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) and Overture Maps Foundation. Credits

Book the trip

Getting thereAd

Flights · Skyscanner Car hire · Discover Cars

Where to stayAd

Places to stay · Booking.com

In the waterAd

Kitesurfing lessons · GetYourGuide Kite and board hire · GetYourGuide

Links marked Ad may pay us a small commission if you book. You pay the same price, and it never changes a score.